OUR WEEK

What a week!!

Ashley's school let the kids dress up on Monday, since they were not out for the holiday due to TAKS test being on Tuesday. So it was 50's day. Ashley really gets into the dressing up and has a lot of fun doing it. She did well on TAKS as far as we know.

Both kids had a great time playing outside this week. Thank God for beautiful weather. They built a "house" in the driveway several times this week. It was complete with a kitchen where they ate fruit gushers, peanut butter, fun dips, and chocolate cereal. Man, I wish I were a kid again!!!

Mike went to Fredricksburg again to finish up the job he has been working on. While there, he was having some dental issues. Finally on Friday, he had emergency oral surgery. What Fun. Saturday he was back in Fredricksburg with his Papaw for the grand opening of the Nimitz museum. I think they look very handsome dressed up. Mike said that they had a good time together. I am so glad.

What did I do this week? You know. Mom stuff!!

WHATEVER!!

Ok, so it is Sunday night and I just got home from work. Let me warn you now, this is my gripe session. Griping is what I tend to do the most of when I am tired. You would think that I would just go get in the bed, but I need to "vent". If I don't do it on this blogspot, then guess who gets the majority of it? Mike. He is tired also after being with the kids all weekend and getting ready to go back to Fredricksburg again tomorrow.
So the week started with the trip to Kilgore, which was fine. I got to see mom's headstone and clean some of my Daddy's house. You know how nasty bachelors are.
Mike left for Fredricksburg on Wednesday morning to work on a job at the Nemitz Museum which will be incredible once completed.(see picture) If you think back, this was Valentines day and I didn't get to spend it with my Sweetheart for the 2nd year in a row. I guess after 12 years of marriage, it just tends to be another day. Hopefully we will get the chance to go on a MUCH NEEDED date once the museum project is completed. As I said above, Mike will be leaving again tomorrow morning to go back to Fredricksburg and finish this project. They have hotel rooms reserved for the whole week, but he thinks that they will complete it and be home late Wed night. Then he turns around and goes back on Saturday for a "Black Tie" grand opening event. Those of you who know my husband will understand that this is NOT something he looks forward to doing and it is totally out of his comfort zone. My complaint with this is that it is on the weekend, so I don't get to go with him. But on the bright side, Papaw Russell, Mike's grandfather, is going with him. He is a Ret. Lt. Col. from the Army and there will be many other "military people" at this event as well. My prayer is that Papaw Russell's presence will act as a buffer for Mike and give him some relief from the anxiety he is experiencing.
Ashley had a good week and received a lot of Valentines from school. I miss her not being smaller where I can go to her Valentines parties. Now they are "non-parties". A lot of that has to do with the state regulations on foods that went into effect a couple of years ago. She is ready for her TAKS test on Tuesday and I think she will do very well. Tomorrow is 50's day and Ashley will be wearing a black poodle skirt and bobby socks as well as red and white saddle-oxford. (Thank You MIMI). I think they are doing this because they have school on Presidents day and to let the students have some fun before this highly stressful test. Yesterday Ashley went to a softball clinic and seemed to learn a lot. But more than anything, she had fun. I can't wait to see how she develops this year. (see pictures)
Payton didn't go to Mothers Day Out on Tues or Thurs this week. Tuesday, because we were out of town and Thursday, because he got the stomach bug that has been going around. He is doing much better now. He really needs to go to MDO this week for my sanity. Otherwise, Pay is his same sweet little self.
I think because I sat here and wrote about my kids, my dishpan hands have gone away and I am not as aggravated about the pile of dishes that were awaiting me when I walked through the door tonight. We have all experienced the frustration of walking into the house after a particularly tiring day and facing a sink full of dishes, dirty clothes piled up, and one or more rooms looking like the latest natural disaster happened in your home. Why does this put me in a terrible mood. As I was loading the dishwasher, I kept trying to remind myself that my real job is at home. The job I go to every weekend is just for the money. (Since my real job does not pay very well, I have to go for the money in the 2nd job.) If this is all I have to complain about, I should just be quiet. RIGHT??

TRIBUTE TO MOM

Kilgore, Texas. Mom finally has her headstone. My sister and I drove to Kilgore so that we could see it for the first time with my dad. Love it!! I am very happy with the way it turned out. The irony of it is, today is the year anniversary for mom going into the Bone Marrow Transplant unit to start her chemotherapy. Wow!! This past year has flown by. She was my best friend, she loved my husband as her own son, and her grand kids were the light of her life. So often, when Ashley or Payton do something I disapprove of, I think of how my mother would have reacted to me. She would tell you that she made so many mistakes as a mother, especially while Sabrina and I were small, but, she would react with love and guidance. In my mind, I don't remember all of the mistakes she made ( I remember some of the big ones though). She was a fun, loving, happy, and fair mom. The Bible was her main instruction book and her love for God was so apparent in her daily life. As an adult, I want to model my life after that of my moms. Can't wait to hug her again when I get to Heaven. There are so many things I need to talk to her about.

Love you Momma!!

INSIDE PLAY

On the way home from school today, Ashley told me that they "actually got to play outside in the cold front". :) The kids didn't want to go outside and play this afternoon. How can I blame them, it was so dreary. So,Payton would get on his bike and Ash would push him for a while around the living room, then they would switch. Not for very long though. Pay wanted to be the one getting pushed, not doing the pushing. Payton has been so funny lately. When I am doing something that he would rather me not do, like tickle him, he will start yelling, "Swiper no swiping, swiper no swiping, SWIPER NO SWIPING". Of course I say "OH MAN" (for those of you who do not have small children, this is a very common phrase from Dora the Explorer). Or he will say, "Do you understand me? Say yes sir!" when he is trying to get his point across. I REALLY don't know where he got that from.

Ashley is doing great in school and is one of the top three in her class at this point. That makes me so very proud. I was never that dedicated in school. My prayer is that her love of learning will continue through high school. But we all know, it probably won't. Just as long as she keeps her grades up though. Softball tryouts are this weekend and she is very excited about that. As much as we love basketball and would like for Ashley to play, her extracurricular activities of choice are jazz and softball. Can't argue with that.